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Friday, February 3, 2012

Crème de Violette is an unusual cocktail ingredient, but its almost unearthly color is irresistible. It pairs best with delicate base spirits like dry gin and vodka, and while the most famous Crème de Violette cocktail is the Aviation, John and I have been experimenting with the Yale Cocktail, the Attention and this Toulouse tippler, a truly delicious libation!

Toulouse

1 1/2 oz vodka

3/4 oz Crème de Violette

1/4 oz vanilla liqueur

1 tsp absinthe or pastis

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake for 5-10 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Notes: For the beginner absinthe drinker, try simply "washing" the glass in the spirit, rather than shaking it in the drink. To wash, place a small amount of absinthe or pastis at the bottom of the glass and swirl, coating all surfaces, then pour out any excess. I still like my cocktails lighter on the absinthe than John does.

The Crème de Violette is a must have in this cocktail, but you can substitute vanilla liqueur for a heady, vanilla-infused syrup that will be as delicious in this cocktail as it will drizzled over French toast the morning after.

I find myself packing up and heading to the liquor store after every single Friday post of yours! I will try out this lovely tonight, my grey and dreary weekend needs a shot of luscious color like this!xo

You have to come to this bar in Fort Worth next time you're out this way. It's next to my office, but that's only 1/4 of the reason it's the best bar in DFW. They're total mixologists and you'll LOVE IT.

Does it have a floral flavor? My MIL brings back this violet liquer back from Paris that we love to mix with champagne, but we couldnt' find it anywhere while we were in Paris and no one seemed to know what I was talking about when I asked around. Perhaps it was my French ;)

Author and editor Lena is a music and dance scholar and classically trained coloratura soprano who adores F. Scott Fitzgerald and hand-written notes,
believes every household should have a chilled bottle of Champagne on hand,
and loves very few things more than a perfectly placed polka dot.